Ditching machine



June l 1926.

J. S. BLACKIE DITCHING MACHNE Filed Sept. 1. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l gen/vanto@ June 1 1926. 1,586,940

f J. s. BLACKIE DITCHING Y MACHINE Filed sept. 1, 1925 l:s sheets-sheet 2 fltbozwaq June 1 9 1926. 1,586,940

J. S. BLAGKIE DITCHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented .lune 1, 1926.

nutren stares :reim strnrnnu Brillouin, or vorn Grrr, CALIFORNIA.

nrroiinve MACHINE;

Application mea september 1, i925. sensi No. 53,876.

The present invention relates to improvements in ditchino' machines of a t be shown 1 1u my prior Patent- No. 861,080, 'of July 23rd, 1907, and which are chiefly usable for digging irrigation ditches.

rlhe present invention proposes certain improvements orrelinements of the structure in the patent referred to above, and chief among these are a wheeled frame with a relatively short wheel 'base in order to permit of turning the device around in a relatively small circle; a more uniform dis positionof the weight supported by the wheeled frame so as to avoid accidental tilting or lifting of one end of the device when the same is inuse; an improvement in 'the draft line so that the machine'may be pulled by draft animals or a tractor without requiring attention on the part of the operator to steer-the machinegan improved mounting for the digging mechanism and a connection between the digging mechanism and the side scrapers adapted to automatically adjust the side scrapers simultaneously with the adjustment of the diggers.

The .above and other objects are accomplished by instrumentalities pointed. out in the following specification.

"lhe invention is clearly defined in the claims. l

A satisfactory embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved ditching machine showing a part thereof in section and broken away to show the relation and construction of other parts.

ll"igure` 2 is a plan view of the machine shown infFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical longitudinal section taken through the interiuediate portion of the wheeled frame and showing the mounting and operating mechanism for the digger andscoop 'or scraper.

Figure Ll is an enlarged detail showing one side of the frame invertical cross-section img ithe penetration of .the ground bythe scraper.'

. gitud-inal *1 Figure 6 is a detail cross-section taken approximately on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 mately on the line 7-7 of Figure 1.

` Figure 8 is a cross-section on the line 8-8 of Figure 2; y

Figure 9 is` a `cross-section approximately on the line 9-,9 of Figure 1.

The opposite side-members and 6 of the main frame are disposed horizontally andv parallel and are formed of any material found suitable for the purpose, as, for instance, metal I-beams. The forward end portions of the members and 6 converge and are connected together by a plate 7 which has an opening in the central line of the frame for a spindle 8 to which is rigidly secured a disk 9 that is rotatably mounted in a bearing underneath. the plate 7, and which terminates" in its lower end portion in a yoke 10, theside .portions ofwhich are provided with bearings for a shaft 11 which forms a support for a wheel 12 disposed between 'the sidesof the yoke and operating to hold the forward end of the frame elevated above the ground. The shaft 11 also forms a support for ahorizontally disposed U-shaped draft bar 13 which has a hook 14, or its equivalent, for connection to a draft line or the like which in turn is connectible either to draft animals or a tractor. The rear end portions of the side members 5 and 6 are provided on their opposed innerfaces with horizontally disposed U-sh'aped` pieces 15 through which extend the Vrear traction wheels 16 which are mounted upon spindles, one of which is shown in lFigure 1 and indicated by 17, each of such spindles having its ends Vdisposed in boxes 18 depending ,from the adjacent U-shaped piece 15 and the adjacent side'member of the frame, the wheels 16 operating toy hold the rear end of the frame iny elevated position above the ground. A platform in the form of flooringA 19 is disposed upon the upper face of the frame and ysecured to the opposite sides thereof. The plow points 20 ofthe digging apparatusdepend 'fr'omtwo plow beams 21 and 2 2 which are 'pivotally connected at one end by aibolltQ-S which passes through a lug 24 eX-tending ra'ia'iiyjfroin auch 25.', The nut Q5, together with the digging mechanism, is 'dis 'osed underneath tlie frame, and the nut Qo' is in yertical linement Awith tl-'ie lonis a detail cross-section approxi# A, rule fr-aaah@- ruit? fis vertically .'fadjustaile l by 1 the .screw ffl threaded portion :2.6 oi a vertically disposed shaft '26 upon which the .nut is threaded, the vertical adjustment being provided for elevating and lowering the plow points 2l from and into engagement with the ground. 'lf he outer ends of the plow beams 2l and 22 are provided with laterally extending lugs 27 which are connected by pivot pins 2S to the forward outer ends oi a pair of relatively thin and oblong,` side scrapers .29 which are proportioned in Vwidth so to extend below the plow beams. The side Scrapers are arranged upright'on one otl their longitudinal edges and slope inwardly and have their inner ends hingedly connected Afor lateral swinging movement as at 3() lo the opposite sides ot a scoop or scraper Si which is iixedly secured against endwise movement. The upper end portion oi the shaft 2G swivels as at 32 upon a circular shoulder 33 depending from the side of a horizontally disposed nut 31k which extends through a medially disposed longitudinal recess 85 in the platform 19 ot the trame. A, shaft provided with a screw threaded portion 36 is disposed horizontally and above the recess 35 and the nut Ell is screwedv upon the shaft so as to be moved thereby in the direction of the length oi' the trame; One end oit the shaft is rotatably mounted in a bearing 3T at one end of the slot and the opposite end portion oi the shaft is similarly mounted in a pair of spaced bearings 38 and 39 disposed beyond the other end of the slot and between which is arranged a ratchet wheel t() keyed to the shaft and operable to turn in one direction by a pawl Lil. carried by an actuatingl handle 4t2 which has one end portion bifurcated and disposed on opposite sides et the ratchet wheel t() and loosely mounted upon the shaft. In operating' the handle to turn the ratchet in one direction, the screw threaded portion 36 oi the shaft advances the nut toward the iront end oli theA frame and in moving the nut 34 carries with it the shatt 26 whose connection with the plow beams 2l 'through ythe screw threaded portion 36 changes the angular relation of the plow beams 2l and also the angular relation ot the side scraper-s 29, so that the forward ends oi the plow beams and side Scrapers move outwardly and in opposite directions withv respect to the frame In this way the plow beams are adjusted to the width of cut desired and the side Scrapers are adjusted to gather the intervening soil between the outermost plow points and deflect the same inwardly to the scoop of scraper Si.

A hand wheel i3 upon one end ot the screw threaded shaft is provided for manipulating the shaft to turn in a direction to restore the plow beams and the side scrapers to their normal positions when the pawl il is disengaged 'from the ratchet wheel 0.

A toothed. wheel est keyed to the shaft.

26 and meshing 'with a toothed wheel Ll5 operates to rotate the shaft 2G to raise and lower the plow points 2O together with the beams 21. A vertically disposed shatl: i6 serves as a carrier for the toothed wheel and has bearings in a bracket -fii carried by the nut 34. A hand wheel lf3 at the upper end of shaft 46 is provided for operating` the shaft li-6 and the devices connected thereto for raising` and lowering the plow points. A plurality of brace rods 4:9 are connected at one end, as indicated at 50, for lateral and vertical swinging movement upon two shoes 51 extending rearwardly from the plow points 20 and operate to brace the plow points together with the plow beams against the resistance ot the ground to the plow points in passing therethrough. The rods L9 slope upwardlyA and rearwardly and the upper rear ends are connected for lateral and vertical swinging,l movements, as indicated by 52, to the lower portions 53 or a pair et angularly disposed brace bars which converge aty a point in vertical alinement with the longitudine middle line oi the trame and at which point they are pivotally connected by a pin 5d. The upper portions 55 ot the brace rods which are spaced from the lower portions 53 have their outer end port-ions slidable through and supported by U-sliaped hangers 56 depending from the opposite side members 5 and 6 of the frame, to which they are rigidly secured.

A nut 57 upon the screw 'threaded por tion 36 oit' the shaft is operated by the latter to move simultaneously with the nut 3% and this nut 5'? has a depending cstension 58 which is connected to thel pivot pin 54 at the connected ends et the brace bars to operate these to follow the movements of the plow beams 21 so that theY plow points 2O when in any of their adjusted positions are braced by the rods 49.

A pair of oppesitely disposed depending;` V-shaped'braclets 59 are iXedly secured to the undersides oit the side members 5 and 6 of the trame andthe lower ends provide bearings for a transversely disposed sup porting spindle 60 on the opposite end portions of' which are turnably mounted brachets 6l which are secured to the opposite cornei portions of the bottom (i2 ol' the scoop or scraper 3l, which bottom inclines downwardly and forwardly as shown in Figure l.' A4 'flexible element such as a rope 63 iis employed for adjusting the scoop vertically to compensate t'or vertical ad* justinents of the side Scrapers 29 and the opposite end portions of the element 63 a connected to lugs 64 on the outer faces o1" the side walls oi the scoop. The intermediate portion of the flexible element is coiled around a vertically disposed drum at the lower end of ashat 65 whicl` ls journaled Lassalle in the platform 19 and extends vertically upward and is provided with an operating wheel 6G.

A roller 67 disposed upon spindle GO is extended through the lower end of arrendless conveyor titl which inclines upwardly and rearwardly and beyond the rear end of the frame, and is extended around an upper roller 69. rlhe ends of the up ser roller are journaled in oppositely disposed brackets 70 and the upper end of the endless conveyor 68 is arranged in discharging relation to another endless conveyor 7l disposed at right angles tothe conveyor (S1-3. The opposite ends of the conveyor' 7l extend beyond the opposite sides of the con veyor 68 so that material deposited upon the conveyor 7l by the conveyor 68 may be directed to either side. The opposite ends of the conveyor 7l are disposed around rollers 72 which are supported in brackets 78 at the upperend of a frame whose side members 74 and 75 are inclined upwardly and rearwardly and are connected at their upper ends to transversely disposed -beams 7 6 to which the brackets 7 3 are connected. The lower end portions of the side members74e and 75 of the conveyor supporting frame are turnably mounted upon -the opposite end portions of the spindle 60., as indicated by 77 in Figure 7 andihe said supporting frame is held in its upwardly inclined position by casters 7S rotatablyv mounted in brackets 79 secured to the side members 7d and 75. l l

A hydrocarbon motor 8O mounted upon the rear end portion of the main frame has a pulley which is connected by a belt to a pulley on the upper roller 69 so as to op erate the endless conveyor 68. The shaft of the upper roller is splined and terminally provided with beveled gear wheels 82 and 83. Beveled gear Wheels 84cand 85 are supported by brackets and have hub portions which are connected to extensions of the shafts 72 at the ends of the transverse carrier 7l by belts 86. Then the shaft of the upper roller is moved in one direction manually, the beveled gear wheel on one end of the roller will mesh with the adjacent beveled gear wheel and the other beveled. gear at the opposite end of the roller will be moved from engagement with the beveled gear wheel adjacent thereto. In this way the transverse conveyor 7l may be operated to discharge material in either direction.

In Figure l the plow points tofgether with the side scrapers and scoop are shown in elevated or inoperative position. l/Vhen the parts are adjusted into operative position, they appear as shown in Figure 3. There it will be noted that the lower edge of the side scraper shown is disposed approximately in a plane with the plow points 2O and the .lower forward edge 87 of the scoop is flush with the lower edge of the side scraper. In this adjustment o f the parts the lower edge of the bottom 62 of the scoop penetrates the ground for a definite distance, as shown in Figure 5, and the material is moved upwardly upon the bottom by the fori 'ard movement of the machine and finally discharged upon the endless conveyor and conveyor 7l. As will be noted by reference to Figures l to 3 inclusive and also Figures and G, a pair of caster wheels 88 are disposed. a trifle in front of the lower edge 87 of the bottom 62 and adjacent to the opposite side portions of thescoop. These caster wheels are provided with screw threaded Shanks 89 which are screwed through forwardly extending lugs 90 upon the opposite inner faces of the sides of the scoop', the said screw threaded shanks terminating in shafts 90 which extend upwardly through the platform and are provided with hand wheels, one of which is shown in Figure 2 and indicated by 91. The upper portions of the shafts are journaled in bearings7 one of which is shown in Figure 3 and indicated by 92 disposed underneath the platform. f

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the caster wheels are adjustable into contact with the surface of the ground and when so posi-` tioned prevent downward tilting` of the scoop in a direction that would result in directing the lower edge 87 thereof into contact with the uncut. portion of the ground. ln this way the machine may be pulled through the cut ground with a minimum of effort and without danger of obstruction b y engagement between the lower edge of the bottom of the scoop and the uncut portion of the ground.

Although l have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of various changes; and I reserve the right to employ such as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, a plow carrying beam supported by the frame and consisting of sections pivotally connected at their inner ends, means for changing` the angle of said sections to vary the width of cut, and side Scrapers connected to the fran'ie and to theI said sections and movable therewith.

2. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted frame, a plow carrying beam adlitt) :Ulti

justably supported by the frame and corr,`

sisting of two sections pivot-ally connected at their meeting` ends, plow points extended downward from the beam, means for chang-- ing the angle of said sections to vary the width of cut, means for adjustingn the tbeam vertically to raise and lower the plow points with respect to the surface of the ground,

and side sera-pers connected to the frame and to the sections of the plow beam and novable angularly and vertically therewith.

3. A ditching machine comprising a wheel mounted trame7 a plow beam consisting oi' two sections pivot-ally connected together, plow points ext-ended downwardly from said sections, a brace bar rearward ot the beam and consisting' of two pivotally connected sections, brace rods extended from said bar and pivotally connected to the plow points7 means 'for moving said brace bar and plow beam simultaneously in either direction to vary the width of the cut, and side Scrapers disposed rearwardly ot the plow points and underneath the brace bar and connected to the sections of the plow beam and movable aneularly therewith.

4. A ditching)v machine comprising wheel mounted iframe, digging devices carried by the traine, a scoop arranged.rearward ot said digging dei/ieee and side Scrapers intorposed between therscoop and the digging devices and pivotally connected at their op posite ends to the saiddigging devices and scoop. f f

5. il ditching machine comprising` a wheel mounted frame, vertically adjustable digdevices carried by said frame, a vertically adjustable scoop arranged rearward of the digging devices, said Scrapers connected at one end of the digging devices and pivotally connected at theirl opposite ends to opposite sides ot the scoop and vertically adjustable together with the scoop and the Y digging' devices.

6. A ditching machine comprisinga wheel mounted trame7 a plow carrying` beam consisting ot two sections pivotally connected together at their meeting ends, plow points depending from the sections of the plow beam, a brace bar consisting of two sections pivotally connected together at their meeting,` ends and disposed rearward of the plow beam and connected to the plow points, a shaftl rotatably mounted upon the `traine and above the plow beam and the brace bar and having` a screw threaded portion, screw threaded members disposed upon the screw threaded portion of the shaft and movable thereby in either direction, said members being,- connected to the plow beam and to the brace bar for changing the angle ot the beam and the bar members transversely ot the traine, and side Scrapers permanently connected at one end to sections ot the plow beam and movable angularly therewith. t

7. fr ditching machine comprising` a wheel mounted traine, an endless conveyor sup- ,orting 'frame including a pair oit oppositely disposed side members pivotally connected at one end to the rear portion of the wheel mounted traine and extending upwardly and rearwardly at an incline to a point above and rearwardly beyond the said rear per tion or' the wheel mounted trame, a transversely disposed connection between the up per ends of the side members, caster wheels connected to the intermediate portions of. the side members for supporting the same in their normal upwardly inclined positions.

endless conveyor mechanism carried by the conveyor frame, digging mechanism con nected to the wheeled frame and a scoop depending` from the wheeled traine for conveying material from the digging` mechanism to the conveying mechanism.

JUHN STEPHEN BLACKIE. 

